Avenue A: A story of RENT
by Eva West
Summary: Starts where movie left off. Helena moves into Mimi's old apartment. Could Mark maybe meet his soul mate? Mimi and Roger set a wedding date. Collins gets new job at the high school. Maureen got a JOB? R&R please. Old pen Name Pray For The Soul of Betty
1. Helena

Disclaimer- I don't own RENT. Jonathan Larson's family does. I think. Hmmmmmm.

Anyway

Avenue A: A story of RENT

Helena Erickson walked up into the dreary apartment building, on Avenue A. She got her suitcases into her new apartment, which apparently was owned buy some girl who moved one story up. Helena needed to come to New York City to try and get her book published.

Helena opened the door to her apartment and sighed. It was small and old, but it was clean. There were no furniture, except for the bed she got shipped over earlier, and that was sitting looking lonely in the corner. At least there was a nice big window. Helena stepped onto the fire escape, to get some fresh air. She just became aware of how smoky her new home really was.

A creaking sound shook Helena out of her daydreams. She looked up and saw a blonde standing on his fire escape too. He was wearing a blue and white scarf and glasses. Helena's fire escape creaked and the blonde looked down. Helena smiled, and he smiled back.

Helena stepped back in and planned on going furniture shopping. Once she stepped outside in the murky Alphabet City air, Helena saw a yellow Labrador puppy. She quickly put the dog inside the lobby of the apartment, figuring nobody would care.

……………………………………

Helena came back with a new beanbag chair and a new kitchen set. She saw the landlord, Benny, literally throwing the yellow lab out of the building. The dog looked helpless. It tried to get back into the building, but Benny kicked it back to the sidewalk curb where a car ran by and scared the pour think half to death.

Helena threw her bags down on the ground, and ran towards the dog. "Baby." She said. "Let's get ya in the building."

Helena got her bags and the dog walked next to her.

"No dogs in the building!" Benny yelled.

Mark looked out the window, and saw the blonde girl he had seen earlier, near tears. He ran downstairs and saw Benny yelling at her.

"Too bad!" Helena said. She pushed Benny out of the way.

"Here, let's bring her up here." Mark said, taking the small dog out of Helena's arms.

They went back up to the loft, and put the dog on some blankets. The dog's ear and side were bleeding from where Benny kicked it. The poor thing was scared and shivering.

After wrapping its cuts in some ripped up blankets, the two of them sat on the couch, with the puppy sitting on both of their laps.

"Thank you so much." Helena said. "Benny just kicked her and threw her out of the building like he would to a trash bag-"

"It's fine." Mark said. He looked around. "I'm Mark."

"Helena."

"Helena?"

Helena looked at Mark. "What?"

"Its just a strange name is all." Mark said.

"Well," Helena looked at Mark. "Between you and me, my real name is Helen."

"Helen?"

Helena sighed. "And that is why people call me Helena."

"Helen?" Mark asked again.

"My mom is a rich bitch living in Beverly Hills right now." Helena said. "I think she'd die if she found out I was living in Alphabet City."

Roger opened the door. He saw Mark and Helena sitting on the couch with the puppy on their laps. "Um, am I interrupting something?"

"No." Mark said. "You get the rock?"

"Yep." Roger told him.

"The rock?" Helena asked.

"Roger, this is Helena." Mark told him. "And he SAYS he's gonna propose to his girlfriend. She used to live in your apartment."

"Really?" Helena asked.

"Yeah, but then she got really sick and we made her move up here." Mark said. "And now she had a part time job as a waitress, and she's there now. Her name is Mimi. You'll like her."

"I'm just gonna go into my room because I am clearly being ignored." Roger said.

Mark and Helena laughed.

"I'm gonna go too." Helena said. "I'll probably see ya later."

…………………………………..

It was midnight and Helena was in her room, scared to death. She thought she had heard a gunshot, and as faintly she heard it, Helena was still scared. Weird looking people were walking down the street, smoking and doing drugs. Every so often people would walk up the staircase and they would be completely drunk and saying disgusting things.

Helena grabbed her blanket, and went up to Mark's apartment. She pounded on the door until Mark opened the door.

"Can I help you?" He said nonchalantly. He vaguely wondered why the hell Helena was in her pajama's, and at his door.

"You don't get scared at night?" Helena breathed.

Marked looked at Helena. "Come on." He opened the door wider, and let Helena in. "Trust me, there haven't been any deaths except for suicides for a while."

"But, I thought I heard a gun or something-"

"It was probably nothing." Mark said quickly.

Mark had out all of his film stuff and was trying to put together a movie. Helena was just relived that she didn't wake him up. "You film?" She asked.

"Yeah." He said. He looked sad though.

"And what happened with it?" Helena asked.

"I sold my soul for three grand." Mark told her.

"What happened?" Helena said.

"It started with Maureen, she broke up with me."

"For another guy?" Helena asked innocently. "Who?"

"Joanne." He said. Mark waited for the laugh. It never came. Helena looked at Mark with sympathy. "You are the first person that has not laughed when I told them that."

"I had a boyfriend that left my once for another guy." Helena said. "I know it's not funny."

They looked at each other. Then Mark and Helena broke into laugher.

"Okay." Helena said, wiping a tear from her face. "Maybe it is funny."

"Maybe." Mark said. And the next thing he knew, Mark was telling Helena the whole entire story. Of Mimi the Cat Scratchy Club dancer, meeting Roger. How she got him out of the house. Then about Collins, and how me met Angel. Then even a little about Maureen and Joanne, and their rocky relationship. Then he got to the hard part, when Angel died. And how the whole thing started to fall apart.

Helena was fascinated by the story. She didn't know that people lived such exciting lives. When Mark showed her the film that he put together after Angel's death, Helena lost it. She didn't even know Angel. Yet, when she saw his picture, she cried. Hard.

Helena didn't know this type of pain. She could only imagine that pain that Collins felt when Angel died. She could only image what Roger was feeling when Mimi was practically dieing right in front of everybody.

Helena eventually fell asleep in the loft, in Marks arms.

……………………

"Have fun last night?" Roger said, as he threw a pillow at Mark.

Helena and Mark were shaken awake.

"Hola everybody." Mimi said. "Have fun last night?"

"The question was did you?" Mark asked.

Helena was bright red. She wasn't that easy to get. "I got scared last night." She said. "I have to go to my job."

"What do you do?" Mimi asked.

Helena looked at her. "I'm a writer." She said. "I need to go to some publishers."

"Bye." Mark said, as Helena went out of the loft.

Roger looked at Mark. "I got scared last night!" He said in a high pitched voice.

"Shut up." Mark said, throwing the pillow at Roger's back.

………………………………………

Helena went back to her room, and gave her new dog some bread from her sandwich. Helena looked at the ratty collar that was around the dog. It had a name scrawled on in it.

The dog's name was Angel.

**(Review please!)**


	2. My Story

Helena went to the publisher that she had a meeting with. As she entered the tall building, and went up exactly sixteen stories on the elevator, Helena entered the Simon Pulse publisher building.

With her story that she spent so many hours typing on her computer and then on her typewriter tucked under her arm, Helena walked straight up the receptionist. "I'm here for my appointment."

"With who?" The receptionist asked in a board tone.

"Um," Helena looked at the scrap paper where the scratched on the info for her meeting. "Claire Brian."

The receptionist sighed as she got up, making it look like this was the biggest chore in the world. Helena followed the lazy receptionist to Claire Brian's office.

"Uh, thanks." Said Helena as the receptionist left. Helena looked at the door and knocked.

"Come in." A voice said. Helena rolled her eyes. Nobody was able to open doors in this place. But Helena turned the knob and walked into the office.

Claire had blonde hair like Helena, but their similarities ended there. Helena had a strong nose that was sprinkled with freckles from living in Southern California. Claire had a teensy button nose with no freckles. In fact, she was very pale. Claire was short and skinny and Helena was tall and athletic.

"Sit down." Clair said in a soft voice.

Helena sat.

"You have a story to show me?" Claire asked.

Helena nodded. "Yeah, here-"

"I take it you don't have an agent?" Clair asked, cutting Helena off.

"No, but-"

"Do you have a proposal?"

Helena nodded again. "Here ma'am." She stuck the sheet where she had written the summary for her story.

Claire looked at it, and a faint look of amazement went over her face. "Wow." She said, changing her tone. "This sounds like a great story."

"Thanks." Helena said, the first time she hadn't gotten cut off since she had been there.

"Would you leave your book here?" Claire asked. "And I will show it to my boss. But I have a feeling he'll like it."

"Sure." Helena said. It was okay, she had another copy at her new house, but somehow it didn't feel right as she handed it over.

Claire frowned when she saw the cover. Helena had run out of ink, so she wrote the title, named Donor No. 2781.

"It's typed." Helena said quickly.

Claire gave a false smile. "Of course it is."

………………………

"Are you gonna do it?" Mark asked, when Mimi was getting ready in the bathroom.

"Do what?" said Roger tiredly.

Mark looked around. "You know. Propose." He hissed.

"I don't know." Roger said.

"What happened to No Day But Today?" Mark asked.

"I threw it down the garbage disposal." Roger told him. "Come on. What if she says no?"

"You come on." Mark told him. "She's not gonna say no."

Mimi walked in the room. Mark and Roger stopped talking. That was always a sign they were talking about you. She sighed. "What?"

"Nothing." They both said quickly.

Yet another sign they were talking about you. "Well, its time to go." Mimi said. She pulled at Roger's arm. "Come on." She told him.

Roger slipped his arm around Mimi's waist and led her out the door. He turned around and shook his head at Mark.

Mark mouthed, Do it! To Roger's back. Roger looked mad, and Mark laughed as they were leaving.

…………………………..

Roger and Mimi sat at a table by themselves in a corner at the Life Café. It was strange there, nobody to say 'Lets put the tables together'. Nobody to dance with and or to sing with. But they had to move on.

"Mimi," Roger started.

Mimi looked up. "Mmmm?"

"Okay." Roger said. "Well, I've been thinking."

"About what?" Mimi asked.

Roger took a deep breath. He took out the box. Roger got down on one knee, and asked, "Mimi, will you marry me?"

Mimi's eyes flooded with tears. She nodded. "Of course." Roger slid the silver ring with the small diamond set in the middle. "Where did you get this?" Mimi asked.

"My grandparents." Roger said. "They also said they'd donate a couple grand towards out wedding."

Mimi was flooded with happiness. "Wow." She said. "Can we go home?"

Roger understood why. But no questions needed to be asked. "Okay."

When they were walking home, Mimi asked, "Do you think Mark likes that Helena girl?"

"Maybe." Roger said.

"When should we get married?" said Mimi.

"February 14th." Roger said.

"May 4th." Mimi said.

"What's on May 4th?" Roger asked.

"Dunno." Mimi said.

……………………………

The next day, Helena went back to the Simon Pulse office. She found Claire's office, and let herself in. Another man was sitting on the chair that Helena sat on the other day.

"Can I have my book back?" Helena asked.

"What book?" The man asked.

"Mr. Burke, I have no idea what she is talking about." Claire said.

"Yeah you do, and-" Helena said, and then lost the ability to speak. She saw the stack of papers that she poured her heart and soul into sitting on Claire's desk. But the front page had by Claire Brian not by Helena Erickson. Helena pointed to her papers. "Those are mine!" She said.

"Miss, I think you need to leave-" Mr. Burke started.

Helena was louder. "YOU STOLE MY BOOK BITCH!"

Claire looked alarmed. "Okay this is getting way out of hand-"

Helena looked at Claire with her green eyes. She bore the eyes into Claire's skull. "If you do not give me my book back, you'll see what out of hand really is."

"Security!" Mr. Burke shouted as he stuck his head out the door.

"GIVE ME MY BOOK BACK!" Helena shouted.

………………………….

"And stay out!" Security yelled.

"I'm calling my lawyer!" Helena shouted as she was flung out of the door, not mentioning that her lawyer lived across the country.

Helena was fuming as she made her way home. She stomped up the stairs and went pounded on Marks door.

He opened it. "Are we always going to meet this way?"

Helena burst into tears.

"What did I say?" Mark asked, he widened the door and let Helena in.

"My story got stolen." Helena said. "And then I threw something heavy, I think it was a paperweight, and then I got kicked out, and they still have my story and my lawyer is living across the country."

"I know somebody." Mark said. "A lawyer."

"I don't have any money." Helena said.

"She won't care about that." Mark said.


	3. Maureen's job

Mark picked up the phone, and dialed Joanne's number quickly, hoping she'd pick up. Helena was still sitting on the couch and was going back and forth feeling angry and sad, not sure which one she should be feeling.

"Joanne?" Mark asked. "Yeah, its Mark."

"What?" She hissed. "I'm kinda busy."

"My friend's book got stolen." Mark told her.

Joanna sighed. "So you go buy another one."

"So she was writing a book, and she left it at the publisher's office, and someone took the credit of writing it." Mark said.

"Was there a copyright?" Joanne asked.

"Helena was there a copyright?" Mark said.

Helena shook her head. How stupid could she be? It said in all of the writers manual to get copyrights.

"No." Mark said.

"Mark, if there is no copyright, I probably won't get it back." Joanne told him.

Helena heard what Joanne said. She was on the verge of tears again.

"But if you want be to, I can try and get in there-" Joanne was saying.

Helena shook her head. "No, its okay." She said. "Really." Even though it wasn't okay, maybe if Helena told herself that enough times she'd believe it.

"Are you sure?" Mark asked looking concerned.

"Yeah." Helena said.

"I'll talk to ya later Joanne," Mark said into the phone. Then he looked at Helena. "How are you gonna pay the rent?"

"I'll be a waitress like Mimi." Helena said. "And I'll write my storys at night."

Helena went down to her apartment. She couldn't believe that she lost her book.

……………………

"This is good." Maureen said. Collins poured her another glass of wine.

"Would you stop?" Joanne asked. She took the glass away from her. Joanne had stopped after one glass of wine, but Maureen was on her tenth or so drink.

"Come on what else do I have to do?" Maureen asked. "I do a another show somewhere, and then I pack up and we go somewhere else next time." She looked at Collins. "More please."

"You are cut off." Collins said as he poured her one last glass.

Maureen chugged it.

Joanne sighed. "Actually, Maureen, you don't pack up after your shows, I do. And then I set everything the next place, and I clean everything up their two. But do you ever get paid for this? No."

"Well what do you want me pookie?" Maureen asked, pouting.

"Get a job."

"You always just free-lead off of me." Joanne said. "And other people."

"Fine then." She said. "Where do you want me to work?"

"I don't know!" Joanne said.

"FINE!" Maureen shouted. She stomped out of the building.

Collins looked at Joanne. "What just happened?"

"I don't know." She said. "Gimme some more!" Joanne held out her glass.

…………………………………

Maureen looked at the piece of scrap paper where she wrote the address for the store she was going to work at. She got off of the subway, a realized she got out somewhere very far away from alphabet city. But for some reason she just kept walking.

People were dressed in fashionable clothes, and walking into big buildings with revolving doors. Maureen felt like an outsider.

But then a woman stormed out of one of the buildings shouting, "I quit!" Maureen went straight into the door that the lady walked out of, not believing her luck.

"Hey," Maureen said. "So do you have any open spots?"

The room was mostly white, and had a pink rug and soothing music playing with surround sound speakers that were hooked up by the ceilings.

The man that was standing behind the desk looked at her. "Nice timing."

"What is this place?" Maureen asked.

"It's a bridal showroom." He said. "Still interested as being our receptionist?"

"How much we talkin' here?" Maureen said.

He told her.

"Done." Maureen said.

"Well, I'm Todd." He said. "Answer the phone, take messages, that's all there is."

"Thanks." Maureen said. She sat down in the big cushy white chair, and got to work.

……………………….

"Hey, what took so long?" Mark asked.

Mark, Roger, Mimi, Collins, Joanne and Helena were hanging out in the loft.

"I got a job." Maureen told everybody.

Silence followed.

"Who the hell are you and what have you done with Maureen?" Roger asked.

"I'm a receptionist at a bridal showroom."

They all just stared. Then Maureen told them how much she was getting paid.

"Nice." Helena said.

"You need to get some performance spaces." Mimi said, sinking into Roger's arms.

"Let me see." Maureen said.

Mimi looked at Roger. "Did ya tell everybody?" She said, as she held up her hand with the ring on it.

"Of course not." Roger said. Mimi smiled. "It was Mark."

**(Okay, sorry for the two slow chapters. I promise things are going to pick up, but I might not update for a few days because I'm going to put a few songs in the next chapters. Collins will be the main character, and I think ya'll will like it! He's going to get a new job, but that's all I'm gonna say!)**


	4. Anarchy Theory

"You are firing me because of my anarchy theory," Collins droned, because it wasn't the first time it had happened.

"We're not firing you, we're letting you go." Mr. Driver said.

Collins sighed. It was the same thing on his radar. "Because of my anarchy theory."

"No of course not." Mr. Driver told him. Mr. Driver was small and bald, who thought he was important, but was just another employee at NYU.

"Don't lie." Collins said. "It is because of my anarchy theory." He sighed. "You know where to send my pay check." And he walked out of the NYU collage.

As Collins walked to the loft he entered to a typical scene. Mark was filming and Roger was with Mimi and his guitar.

"What's up?" Roger asked, slowly plucking along to Mussatta's Waltz.

Collins sighed. _"NYU, Doesn't like my anarchy theory_

_My ex-boss had to control_

But he's full of bull 

_So what should my next job be?"_ Collin's sang

Mimi looked at him. _"NYU, Would never hire me_

_You lasted long_

_But now their gone_

_And you can see what you can be!" _

"School. Why school now? 

_Why should it matter anyhow?" _Roger asked, who was always the type to have detention and straight F's all through high school.

"_I like to teach though,_

_Only there's nothing to show_

_For my hours of work, you know." _Collins told them all.

"_Why collage?" _ Mark asked. _"Why not high school?_

_Get a job there, _

_They've got more to share." _

"_NYU, doesn't like anarchy theory,_

_The boss controls_

_But he's full of bull, _

_So that's what my new job will be." _

…………..

Collins headed for the local high school. It wasn't good high school. It looked like coke and crack alley to be honest. But it would bring in money for Collins until he got a new job.

Two hours later, Collins had his new job, starting once Christmas Vacation got back as a tenth grade history teacher.

……………..

"What's your band's name again?" Helena asked Roger.

"Well Hungarians." Roger told him.

"Where are you performing at?" said Helena.

"No where lately." He said sullenly.

"Do you have sound equipment?" Helena said.

"No, but Maureen does." Roger said. "Why?"

"Because I could get you a space." Helena told him.

"Where?"

"Rooftop."

"The rooftop?" Roger asked.

"That's a good idea." Mimi said, making dinner.

"How?"

"Come on, we borrow some stuff from Maureen, bring your band here, perform, get a record deal, and we move out of here." Mimi said.

"She's brilliant." Helena said. She reached for the phone. "What's Maureen's number?"

"I didn't agree to anything!" Roger whined.

Maureen and the rest of the band came over, and they all got the sound equipment working.

Mark came back from his meeting with Alexi, just in time to see the scene. Helena and Mimi were on the fire escape, wearing thick coats and boots because it was the end of December. But they looked good all the same. Both of them had a microphone, and were getting ready to start.

"Oh Mark!" Helena said. "Your just in time for the show!"

"What are you two doing?" Mark asked.

"Roger got his first gig." Mimi said.

"His first gig was when we were in high school." Mark said.

"WHATEVER!" Mimi said.

Helena flipped on the microphone. "HELLO NEW YORK CITY!" She shouted. Her voice echoed through the alleys and peopled stopped in their tracks.

"Please tell me he isn't on the rooftop." Mark said.

"WE'VE GOT A VERY SPECIAL PREFROMACE FOR YA'LL TONIGHT!" Helena shouted.

"GIVE IT UP FOR… WELL HUNGARIONS!" Mimi shouted.

"Are they or are they not on the roof?" Mark asked.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE THE DOING ON THE ROOF?" They all heard Benny shout.

"Crap." Mark said.

Benny was standing outside of the building, fuming. "I'M CALLING THE POLICE!" He shouted, but nobody really heard him, too many people were flocking to get the free concert.

Roger and his band were rocking out on top of the building, and Avenue A was having a blast. Whenever a fast song came on, everybody started dancing. When Roger sang _Your Eyes _people were crying.

Then the police sirens started to come in earshot, and the music stopped. If Benny thought that this would put a halt to the concert, be was wrong. Instead, a riot started, much like the one that Maureen had started last year. Only this time, Roger and his band got arrested.

…………….

**(Ok! Review please. Did ya'll like the song? Should I write more songs, or stop writing them. Review and tell me, because I'm not sure what I should do with that.) **


	5. Sky's the Limit

"BENNY CALLED THE COPS?" Maureen shouted

"This is ridiculous." Helena said.

"Yeah, show me the law were it specifically says that you cannot performs on a rooftop?" Mimi asked.

"BENNY CALLED THE COPS?" Maureen shouted again.

"Come on, seriously, it was you guys that started the riot, everything was just fine until you showed up." Mimi said.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BENNY CALLED THE COPS?" Maureen shouted.

"Would you shut up?" Mark asked. Of course his camera was out, but that's beside the point.

Roger walked out of a door, and was practically tackled by the three girls.

"BENNY CALLED THE COPS ON YOU!" Maureen shouted.

"WE KNOW!" They all shouted back.

"Well!" she said in a snobbish tone.

"Benjamin Coffin did not what to press charges." The officer said. "Consider yourself lucky."

Once they were outside in the parking lot, Maureen yelled, "CAN YOU BELIVE BEN-"

"SHUT UP!"

…………………………….

"Hey everybody." Collins said to his new class. "I'm Mr. Collins, your new History teacher." He looked around. "Books! Open! Now!"

The class of tenth graders did what he told them. To Collins they all seemed like they had done drugs at one point of their lives. But one girl caught his attention. She had marks all up her arm, and a black eye.

"What's your name?" he asked her.

"Carrie." She said with a snicker. She was sitting with a group of boys.

"Carrie." Collins said. "What the heck happened to your face?"

The guys around her laughed. "Got into a fight." She said.

Carrie had brown hair and pale skin. She had a strong straight nose with thick brows, but it worked on her. She was more sexy the beautiful. And she knew it.

"Well, I suggest you stop getting into fights." Collins said.

"Yeah whatever." Carrie said.

"Where were you in the book before I came?" Collins asked.

"We were finished with the book." Carrie said.

"Does anyone are to answer me without sarcasm?" Collins asked. He knew where they left off, but Collins wanted to know if anyone would tell the truth. And someone did, a shy girl named Rose.

During lunch, Collins went back behind the school. He saw Carrie with the group of guys. She was smoking. Collins didn't even want to know what she was smoking.

"Hey!" Collins said. The guys looked up and ran away. Carrie was so high that she didn't know what happened. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm busy." Carrie said.

"Oh, doing what?" Collins asked.

"Smoking, what did ya think?" Carrie snapped.

"What is wrong with you?" Collins asked.

………………………..

Mimi went to the rooftop, which she usually did when she was depressed. Even though her fiancé just got arrested, she still felt board with her life. Now she knew that her drugs weren't the answer, but a certain longing for excitement and pleasure filled her body. She didn't know what she was longing for. But it was something, and it was nagging her every whim.

"_I'm sick of working at the bar, _

_I wanna be a big star_

_I wanna see my name up in lights_

_Yeah right." _

That was it. Mimi wanted to dance or become an actress or something. But no, she was stuck in crummy Alphabet City.

"_They say that sky's the limit_

_But how do I get there?_

_The farthest I've been is my rooftop_

_My rooftop._

_I could go Broadway_

_I could be a star_

_By next Christmas Day, _

_I'll be away from that bar_

_I'll make it work_

_Too bad for the jerks_

_Like we always say_

_No Day But Today!_

_They say that sky's the limit, _

_But how do I get there?_

_The farthest I've been is my rooftop. _

_My rooftop."_

…………………………

**(Okay, I seriously need to finish my book report. Thanks to my friend Allison for writing the song for Mimi! She's a much better songwriter than I am. So, I'll update soon. REVIEW! Oh, and I'm sorry for the mistakes in chapter 4, I'm going to fix that now. Okay. Now REVIEW!) **


	6. What's Wrong With Her?

"MAUREEN." Joanne said over her cell phone. "I will be back later."

"But Pookie-"

"I'm about ready to go back in court." Joanne hissed. She didn't mention that she practically lost that case anyway, and she knew her client was guilty.

"Jo, come on-"

"No, you come on!" Joanne said into her phone. "Look, I have to go." Before Maureen could say another word, she hung up and stepped back into the courtroom.

After hours of pointless questioning, Joanne trudged out of the courtroom, tired and hungry. She went into a local bar and ordered a beer.

"Heyyyy." A guy said. He came up to Joanne.

"What?" She snapped.

"You wanna drink?" He asked.

"I've got one right here." She said.

He poured some of his beer into her glass. "Thanks." Joanna said, and she chugged it. Suddenly she found herself exhausted and she found herself zoning out.

………………………….

Joanne woke up in a big bed with white sheets and white walls. There were splashes of red everywhere, such as the painting or the chair. But this couldn't be anywhere Avenue A, or anywhere near Alphabet city.

Joanne rolled around and realized that she wasn't wearing any clothes. And the guy from the bar was sleeping next to her. She slapped him with all of her strength in her body.

"What the hell?" he asked.

"What happened last night?" She asked.

"I don't remember." He said, and rolled around.

"YES!" Joanne cried. "YES YOU DO!"

"I was pretty drunk too." The guy said.

"God, my girlfriend is gonna kill me." Joanne mumbled as she scrambled to get her clothes.

"Girlfriend?" He asked. "You gotta be shitting me."

"No, I'm not shitting you." Joanne said. She had a killer head ache from her hangover, and apparently so did the guy, because he just fell back asleep. Joanne sighed. Men were such idiots.

She stormed out of the loft, and went back to her own. Maureen was laying on her couch.

"Where have you been?" Maureen said. "We had a date last night."

"Sorry." Joanne said. "The case lasted longer than I thought."

It was a lie of course, but Maureen would go berserk if she knew what really happened.

……………

"How long do I have to be in here?" Carrie asked for the millionth time.

"I told you." Collins said. "Until you finish alphabetizing those papers."

"Whyyyy?" Carrie asked.

"Because you had the nerve to do plenty of things that a fifteen year old shouldn't bee doing." Collins said.

"I'm sixteen." Carrie said.

"Whatever." Collins said.

Carrie sighed, and she got back to work. But there was a look in her eye of hurt, and Collins thought maybe he was taking it too far. He had made Carrie alphabetize random things for the past two weeks.

"Is there is something wrong?" Collin asked.

Carrie looked at him. She forced her tears to stay down. "No." She lied.

"Okay." He said. "You can go now." Carrie smiled and got up. "But," Collins started. "If there is anything wrong, you can tell me."

Carrie rolled her eyes, and left.

"_What's wrong with her?_

_I don't get it_

_Should I giver her a transfer_

_Or just deal with it myself?" _

Collins wasn't stupid. He knew something was messed up with her. Something Carrie wasn't telling anybody.

"_What's her problem?_

_Is it a guy, or even a girl?_

_Why does she hang out with them?_

_Those guys are idiots anyway. _

_Why won't she trust me?_

_Oh yeah. I'm just a teacher_

_She hardly trusts me_

_To a tolerable degree_

_I really want to know_

_What goes through her head_

_Wait. No. _

_Actually I don't_

_It's probably naked._

_What's wrong with her?"_

………………………….

"Okay, how much money do we have?" Helena asked. Her, Mimi and Maureen were sitting in the loft, trying to plan Mimi and Roger's wedding.

"Five grand." Mimi said.

"Okay." Helena said. "We should make a list."

"I need a ring for Roger." Mimi said. "Dress, bridesmaid dresses, reption area, food, wine, cake, shoes, flowers, aw shit."

"I can do the cake." Helena said. "I'm good at the kind of stuff."

"I'll do the dresses." Maureen said, looking up from filing her nails.

Helena and Mimi looked at each other. If Maureen designed the dresses, they would be slutty and inappropriate. Maureen seemed to know what they were thinking anyway.

"Come on, I'm the one that's logging the man hours at a bridal show room." Maureen said. "I know how to design a dress. And use a sewing machine."

"Well…" Mimi said uneasily.

"Just let me show you the drawing before you completely shoot me down." Maureen said and pouted.

"Fine." Mimi said, as she gave in.

"How many, and for who?" Maureen asked, getting some paper.

"Well, you, Joanne and Helena." Mimi said. "And me."

Maureen looked Helena and Mimi down, and said, "I'll give ya the drawings tomorrow."

………………….

"Wow." Mimi said. "These are really pretty."

Maureen had drawn the bridesmaid dresses as halter-tops, and they were black and white. The dresses went only down to the knee, which Mimi liked. They were sophisticated, and it was hard to see how these drawings came from Maureen. The wedding dress was nice and simple, it was a tube top, and it went down to the ground. It puffed out just a little, and had a black trim on top so she would match the bridesmaids.

"You're hired." Mimi said.

"Thanks." Maureen told her, and gave Mimi a hug.


	7. Go Out With Him!

Everybody had eaten at the loft, and somehow, Helena and Maureen got stuck doing the dishes.

"Do you like Mark?" Maureen asked.

Helena's heart stopped. "Uh,"

"I know you do." Maureen said. "But I just wanted to be sure."

"Well," Helena said, "Weren't you the one that left him for Joanne?"

"Go out with him!" Maureen said. "You'd look cute together! Like your blonde hair, and your bluish eyes and your-"

Helena slashed water on Maureen. "Would you shut up?"

"Oooooo, you did not!" Maureen said, splashing her back.

Then it turned into a full-fledged water fight, throwing sponges at each other.

"HEY!" Roger yelled.

"You were the one that put us in charge of the dishes." Maureen said.

"Crap!" Helena shouted. "I'm wearing a white t-shirt!"

Maureen threw another sponge at her. "Haha!"

"You two are so dead!" Roger yelled at the two of them. "CLEAN IT UP RIGHT NOW!"

"Hey, its your house." Helena told him.

………………..

"Carrie?" Collins asked. "Do you need some help?"

"Yeah, what does condescending mean?" Carrie asked.

Collins told her. "Anything else?" He asked.

"No."

"Are you clean?" Collins said.

"I haven't done any drugs for two weeks." Carrie said.

"Swear?"

"You wanna check my bag?"

"No." Collins looked at her. "You know, you can tell me anything. I won't judge you from it."

"I know." Carrie said. "Its just, I'm not exactly ready to tell anyone yet."

"Okay." Collins said.

…………………

"Mark, do you like me?" Helena asked. She was taking Maureen's advice and going for it.

"Yeah, I like you."

"Will you go out to dinner with me?" She asked.

Mark looked up. "Um, maybe."

Helena's heart fell. "Okay."

Mark felt really bad. "Actually, where did you have in mind?"

She smiled. "Life Café where else?"

"I'll meet you downstairs at seven." Mark said.

Helena gave him a hug and went back to her room.

Mark wondered what the hell he was doing.

………………….

"What do you think is wrong with her?" Collins asked Mark.

"I don't know." Mark said. "She's stopped doing her drugs?"

"Yeah."

"Has she been cutting herself?"

"Not that I know of." Collins said. "What do think Mimi?"

"Is she pregnant?" Mimi asked.

"No!" Collins said quickly. But she had a point. Was Carrie maybe pregnant?

…………………

"Mr. Collins?" Carrie asked.

The name sounded weird to Collins ears. "You can just call me Collins."

"Okay, Collins." She said. "I'm pregnant."

God, did Mimi have ESP or something? "Uh, well, do you know the father?"

Carrie closed her eyes and shook her head. Collins actually felt like he was talking to a younger version of Mimi.

"Well, what are you going to do?" Collins said.

"I don't know." Carrie said. "My mom said if I kept it she'd-" But then she stopped herself.

"What would she do?" Collins said.

"Look, you can't tell anybody okay?" Carrie said.

"Okay."

Carrie sighed. "Sometimes my mom hits me."

"She hits you hard?" Collins asked.

"Well," Carrie said, and looked down. Then she took of her shirt, reveling a whole bunch of bruises, cuts, and burns.

Collins just stared. "She did that to you?"

Carrie nodded again and put her shirt back on.

"And if I kept my baby, she'd do the same to it while I was here at school." Carrie said.

Collins went over to the phone. "I have to report this." He said.

"Collins, no." Carrie said.

"Carrie, you can't keep living in this house." Collins said.

"I know that my mom isn't the best, but she is the only person I have." Carrie told him, and the tears really did come out this time.

"Okay." Collins said, and bought Carrie over to him. She sat on his lap, and cried into his shirt.

…………………

"911?" Collins said. "I'd like to report child abuse."

…………

**(Review everybody!)**


	8. Nimrods

"What should I wear?" Helena asked Angel. She barked.

Angel was staying pretty small, but she was adorable as ever.

"Green or pink?" She asked. Angel nudged the green shirt.

"Yeah, I thought so too."

………………………

"You look nice." Mark said.

"I want your scarf." Helena said.

"Well, I'll ask my mom to make you one." Mark said. "Maybe she'll get so involuved with it, that she'll forget to call me."

"Aw, you shouldn't say that." She said.

"Look at you!" Mark said. "Your mom is living across the contry and-"

"And I happen too still have a credit card." Helena said. She pulled out a blue Visa. "Since I am making almost no money, we'll charge it here."

"But-"

"Mark, she won't miss it." Helena said.

Mark was having such a good time that he forgot the he was soppoed to be scared. Usually the girls went to flock Roger, and Mark just recored it on film. Then the horrific events of last Christmas came back to him. He saw how easily someone could die, and didn't want to see it happen to someone Mark loved.

"So anyway, I told my sister to go to hell, and I haven't heard from her since." Helena said. "What a bitch, can you belive her?"

"No." Mark said quietly.

"I mean, every year it's the same thing, your too short, your boobs are too small, you need to fix your nose!" She was frusterated. "I mean, my nose isn't BROKEN."

"Yeah." He said.

"Why aren't you listing me?" She asked.

"I am." Mark lied.

"And what is my sister's name?" Helena said.

"Uh, Rose-"

"Its Susannah."

"Whatever." Mark said harsly.

"What's wrong?" Helena asked.

"Nothing." The harsh tone felt strange on his lips.

"Are you mad?"

"No."

"Did I say something?"

"No." Mark heisitated. "Well its just…"

"What?" Helena was dyeing for information.

"Everthing that's going on," Mark said. "My film, Roger's gigs, I mean we're actually bringing money."

"That's a good thing though." She said.

Mark put his hand over Helena's. "I just don't think this is going to work out."

Helena ripped her hand from under Marks. "Well then." She said. "Have a nice life." As she stormed out of the Life Café.

She had patience for her writing, her crafts, her paintings, whatever. But she had no patience with people. Helena couldn't put herself in someone else's shoes not matter how hard she tried. She couldn't feel syphathy, or emathy or anything.

In the end, people would be friends with you, or they would piss you off. Nobody was ever really in the middle.

………………….

Dear Carrie 

_I'm sorry for all of the sorrow and grief I caused you. You know that I would never ever do something to hurt you, which is why I filed the abuse papers. I know that you feel that I did you wrong, but I couldn't sleep at night knowing that you are in danger. I needed to get you out of the house. If anything ever happened to you, I'd die myself. _

_You are like the daughter that I wish I had. I never would want to lose your friendship, and I hope I never have to. You are practically my best friend. I hope that your baby is okay, and that both of you are getting along well. _

_Carrie, I can swear one thing and one thing only to you. I will get enough money, and I'll move to a nicer area. I will adopt you, no matter how many jobs I have to take on. I can promise you that, and hunt me down if I break it. I love you and there will always be room for you at my house. I'll call. _

_  
Collins. _

…………………

"Your home early." Mimi said.

"Where's Roger?" Mark asked.

"Studio."

"When will he get back?"

"Soon." Mimi looked around. "Where's Helena?"

"How am I soposed to know?" Mark snapped.

"Geez, I just asked a question." Mimi said.

Mark slumped on the couch. "My date went bad."

"How?"

Mark told her the whole story.

"Mark, why are you scared?" Mimi asked.

"Well, after what happened last year, I mean, I didn't want-"

"I'm right here, and I'm okay." Mimi said.

"I know." He said.

"Why don't you go find her?" Mimi said.

"For what?"

"To tell her your sorry you nimrod!" Mimi told Mark, beginning to get very frusterated.

Mark started laughin. "Did you just call me a nimrod?"

"Shut up."

" I can't belive you called me a nimrod!" Mark said.

"Well, since I'm done entertaining you, its your perfect chance to GO FIND HELENA!"

Mark was still laughing. "Okay."

He went down the stairs, and then realized he had no idea where Helena was. As he stepped outside, Mark heard the creaking of the fire escape, and Mimi shouted, "She likes to ride in Centeral Park!"

"Ride what?" Mark asked.

"Horses, nimrod!" Mimi said with a laugh.

"Thanks!"

……………..

Helena was riding her favorite horse Raisin, around the lit arena. She was giving herself and Raisin a workout, and the pressure to be perfect on the back of the white horse gave her something to focus about.

Mark showed up and sat on a bench. When Helena brought Raisin back in, she saw him. She sighed, and hooked Raisin to the posts and started cleaning him up.

"What?" Helena snapped. "I'm busy with Raisin. Raisin will love me no matter what."

"I'm sorry." Mark said. "I was an idiot."

"What you did at dinner was lame." She said.

"Babe, I'm really sorry." Mark said. "I just thought I'd be better off without anybody, because then I wouldn't be able to get hurt."

"But its awful loney by yourself." Helena said. "Who smacked sence into you?"

"Mimi."

"And what did she say?"

"Actually she called me a nimrod."

Helena laughed. She fluutered her eyes closes, and Mark kissed her gently on the lips. She dropped the stuff she was holding, and wrapped her amrs around Mark. Finally, she broke away, and said, "Can we go some where more privete?"

"Hey, Raisin," Mark said, "Mind your own buisnuss!"

Helena petted Raisin.

"Babe?" Mark asked. "Do you have AIDS?"

"No."

"Good."


	9. Kiss My Ass

Helena got up, and saw Mark looking up at her. "Good morning." She said.

"How was it?" Mark asked. Helena looked lost in space. "What are you doing?"

"Remembering this." Helena said. "And yes, it was amazing. But, I also happen to be starving, and I still smell like horses."

"Shower's right there." Mark said.

"Wanna come?" Helena asked

"I'm hungry too!" he said.

Mark went out to the living room, and saw Mimi and Roger looking at Mark smugly. "Shut up." Mark said.

"We didn't even say anything." Roger said.

"Yeah, whatever, Mister I-Write-Only-One-Song-Each-Five-Years." Mark told Roger.

"Ouch." Roger said with a smile.

"Hey, it was Mimi who called me nimrod." Mark said.

"A nimrod?" Roger asked.

"Well, it just all kinda slipped out." Mimi said.

"So you called me a nimrod?"

"Oooo." Mimi said, shifting her attention to Mark. "Bagels. How romantic."

"Yeah, but at least I don't call people retarded names." He shot back. "Like nimrod."

Mimi rolled her eyes, and turned back to Roger. "Look." She said. "Here's my wedding dress."

"You'll look pretty in it." Roger said.

"Maureen drew it." She told him. "And she's sewing them now."

"Maureen?"

"Yeah, surprising isn't it."

"Well, I never knew Maureen could hold a pen."

………………

"Maureen, I can't believe you sewed this." Mimi said. Helena, Maureen and Joanne were hanging out in the loft, and watching Mimi try on her wedding gown.

"Maureen, you should seriously show these to your boss." Helena said. "You can stop being a receptionist and become a fashion designer."

"Should I?" Maureen asked.

Joanne held up the bridesmaid dresses. "If you had no talent, would you of been able to put three of these together."

"I would kill for a Pina Coloda right now." Helena said.

"Okay that was random." Mimi told her.

"I really want one!" Helena said.

"Ooooooo, we all know what that means!" Maureen said. "One night stand and then she's preg-"

Helena tackled Maureen, and then sat on her back. "I am not!"

Mark opened the door. "Um, am I interrupting something?"

"No." Helena said. "Sit down, Maureen's back is really comfy."

…………………

Maureen sat at her desk in the fashion showroom. Today was a Friday; the designers would be here today. She had her drawings and pictures of Mimi, Helena and Joanna wearing them.

"Hi." Maureen said to the first person that entered the room. "I was wondering maybe if I could show you some of my drawings and maybe I could work for you guys?"

"That's not up to me." He said. "My boss is coming up."

Five minutes later, Mr. Cabot came up to the building, and Maureen set him down.

"Hi, I'm Maureen Johnson, and I've been working here for the past few months." She said, talking faster than she normally would. "And if you have an open job, I'd like to show you some on my drawings."

Maureen's boss, Todd, walked though to the main office. "Maureen, I need you to-"

"WOULD YOU GIVE ME LIKE FIVE MINTUTES?" Maureen asked losing her temper. Then she turned back to Mr. Cabot. "See my best friend is having a wedding, and I sewed her dress." She pointed to the drawing and then the picture of Mimi. "Then here's the bridesmaids dresses, and some of the other gowns I've drew."

"Do you have a resume Miss Johnson?"

"It's Ms. and yes I do."

Mr. Cabot looked it down, and said, "We may have an opening. I trust these contacts are correct?"

"Yeah." She said. "I'll be right here if you can't get to me."

"Thanks Ms. Johnson."

…………….

"Where have you been?" Mimi asked.

"I told you I'd be here." Roger said.

"Dude, you're a forty-five minutes late." Mark told him.

"Really, I didn't know." Roger rolled his eyes. "You all wanna know why I am late."

"C'mon Roger, what happened?" Helena asked. She sunk into Mark's arms.

"I got a record deal." Roger said.

"OHMIGOD!" Mimi started jumping up and down, hugging and kissing Roger.

"Okay this calls for a celebration!" Maureen said. "Let's put the tables together!"

"NO!" the waiter at the Life Café hate having this group of people there. But the tables were already put together, and they all were cheering and dancing.

"Ahem." A voice said.

Helena turned around. "Oh look Maureen."

"Oh the Enemy of Avenue A." Maureen said.

"Roger!" Benny said. "I'm heard about your record contract."

"Oh, kiss my ass." Maureen told him.


	10. The New Loft

"Collins, you did what you had to do." Helena said soothingly.

"Yeah, I know." Collins told her.

"Carrie will understand."

"Uh huh."

"You need to take a break from… How many jobs do you have again?"

"Three."

Helena sighed. "Come on," She said, motioning for him to come upstairs. "There probably waiting for us."

"Yeah." He said quietly.

Once everybody was inside, with everybody hanging out, Helena got a great idea. "Ya know what would be fun?" She asked

Everybody silenced and looked over. "What?" Mark asked.

"We should move out of this place." She said. "Maybe we could get a bigger loft and live all together."

Angel barked.

"Well, she seems to think it's a good idea." Helena said, scratching Angel's head.

"How are we gonna pay for it?" Maureen asked.

Helena shrugged. "We're all making money. Roger got a contract. You might get a fashion job. Collins is working a few jobs. We all can do it."

"That sounds fun." Mimi said.

"Yeah." Roger agreed.

"Where would me move?" Joanne asked.

"I don't know but we all could share a really big loft." Mark said getting all into it.

………………

Two Months later 

"So, here's our last payment." Mark said firmly to Benny.

"Your taking up on my offer? No rent?" Benny asked.

"Its been six months since that offer." Mark said. "We're moving."

"Where?"

"Greenwitch Village." Mark told Benny. "Well, I'll see ya around."

……………

"Ohmigod this is so much fun!" Helena yelled.

Her, Maureen, Mimi and Joanne were running around the slightly emnty loft.

"Helle, you are a genous!" Mimi yelled. "It'll be like one huge sleepover with hot guys!"

"But they can't be hot 'cause your getting married!" Joanne yelled.

The loft was absolutely huge. Mimi and Roger shared, and so did Maureen and Joanne. Everyone else got their own. There was a huge bathroom, and their were smaller ones attached to some of the bedrooms. Everyone's furnature was stuck in random places, but it all worked.

"Okay," Roger said sticking his head through the door. "Who put the lepord print rug on the floor?"

"What's wrong with it?" Mimi asked.

"When did you get that?"

"I love that rug and if you-"

"I swear that is the most tacky thing I've ever seen-"

"God, shut up!" Mark yelled.

……………

"Ms. Johnson?"

Maureen had just answered the phone, and sleepily said, "Yeah?"

"You're hired."

Maureen realized it was Mr. Cabot. "Really?"

"Can you start tomarrow?" He gave her the address.

Maureen hung up and went back to bed with a smile on her face.

………….

"Hey, you've got Carrie's voicemail. Hopefully ya'll know what to go with the beep."

Collins sighed. "Hey Care, its me. Just checking in, wanted to know how you were feeling."

Collins was a little worried now, this was the first time that Carrie hadn't picked up.

Joanne showed up in the doorway.

"Well," Collins said. "I got a new place, in Greenwitch. And I uh,"

"Tell her that you miss her." Joanne said.

"I miss you." Collins said. "See ya later." Collins hung up. "May I help you."

"No," Joanne said. "I just thought Carrie should know that."

……………………….

"These dresses are beautiful, Maureen." Helena said, swishing the skirt around her legs.

"I cannot belive all of this time has past." Mimi said. "My wedding is in-"

"5 days," Joanne looked at her whach, "7 hours, 38 mintutes, and 8 seconds. WE KNOW."

"Sorry." Mimi looked sheepish.


	11. The Wedding

It was four in the morning, and Maureen had been up all night putting together her new dresses. Joanne was sleeping in bed, and Maureen's drawings she tacked up seemed to be daunting her.

But Maureen kept going.

………………

Roger, turned over, and opened his eyes. "I'm getting married today." He whispered. Roger rolled his eyes, and went back to sleep.

………

Mimi opened her eyes. "I'm getting married." Then she rolled over, since she wasn't adjusted to her new bed yet, Mimi accidentally fell off the side. "Shit!"

As Mimi stumbled out of her room, and into the bathroom, she screamed again. Helena was slashing around in the bathtub like she was five and Maureen and Joanne were in robes, fixing their hair.

"Nobody at all had the decency to get me up?" Mimi asked.

"Its seven." Maureen said. "Who is stupid enough to get you up that early?"

Mimi rolled her eyes, and looked at Helena. The tub was over flowing with bubbles.

"What?" Helena asked. "This tub is huge."

"Drain the water, it's my turn!" Mimi shouted.

Collins walked down the hallway. "Its seven guys. Go back bed."

Helena got out of the tub, and straightened her and Maureen's hair. Then she put make-up on Joanne, Maureen and herself. After that, Mimi got out of the tub, and the three if them spent the most time on her hair and make-up.

Mimi put on her dress and Helena helped with the veil. She smiled when Mimi saw herself in the mirror.

"Scary isn't it?" Mimi said breathlessly.

"Yeah." Helena said. "But that's why its fun."

……….

"Roger, we're you planning on getting up at all?" Mark asked.

"Well, eventually yeah." Roger said.

"We have to be at the church in an hour." Mark told him. "Okay, I'm getting up."

…………

Nobody thought that the Cat Scratch Club dancer would walk down the isle, looking like Mimi did. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and her smile was wide.

"Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?" The priest asked.

Roger smiled. "I do."

"Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." Mimi said in a hushed tone.

"I declare you man and wife. Roger, you may kiss the bride."

Roger delicately kissed Mimi's lips, and embraced her.

"Yes!" Maureen cried quietly.

Everybody clapped, and Mark and Collins high-fived.

When Mimi and Roger walked down the isle, Maureen followed, but shook in her heels, and started to feel light headed.

"You okay?" Mark asked, looping his arm around her wait. Maureen leaned on him.

"I'm fine." Maureen said.

…………….

"How many of those had you had?" Helena asked Maureen.

"Not many." Maureen said. "Sixteen. Its just champagne." She turned to Joanne. "Let's dance."

Maureen and Joanne stood out in the crowd, but nobody said anything.

"Mark, something's wrong with Maureen." Helena said.

"I don't think so."

"Look at her." She urdged. "Isn't she pale?"

Mark considered. "A little I guess. Maybe you had to much champagne."

"Oh well." Helena said. "Come dance."

An hour later, Maureen looked seriously shaky.

"hey." Mimi said. "You need to sit down."

"Mimi!" Maureen snapped. "I'm fine." She stomped across the reception room, and went over to the bar. With another champagne, she walked across the dance floor. But then she really got dizzy, and started to forget what she was doing.

The last thing that Maureen heard was Roger yelling, "Maureen!"

But then she was falling backwards into a world of blackness.


	12. She didn't go lesbian!

"Can you believe her?" Helena asked Mark.

"Who?"

"Maureen."

"What'd she do?" Mark asked.

"She ruined Mimi and Roger's wedding." Helena said.

Mark looked at her. "I'd wouldn't of be their wedding with out something big like this happening."

"But now their going to be worried on their wedding night and-" Helena was saying.

"Like they haven't gone at it before." Mark told her.

"Maureen ruined the day!" Helena exclaimed.

"Like she wanted this."

"Oh cut the crap Mark." Helena said. "She did this to herself! You saw the blood tests she hadn't taken AZT for at least a month! She has no excuses, now that we all have some money!"

"Of course she has no excuses, she's in a coma!" Mark asked. Even though he was over Maureen, he didn't want to hear her being talked about this way.

"I'm just making a point." She stated.

"And I'm telling you that your point is kinda mean." Mark shot back. "I mean look at you! You come out of the loft twice a day! Your holed up in your bedroom with your stupid typewriter."

"I told you that I was working on my new book!" Helena cried.

"Well, maybe you should date the book instead of me!" Mark said.

"At least my book isn't mean to me!" Helena said, and stomped away.

"So are we over or something?" Mark said as Helena was walking around.

Her face flushed. "Yes." She said. "Have a nice life."

……………

Helena ran back to the new loft, and packed all of her stuff into her bags, and left a note for Collins to ship her furniture back to Beverley Hills, and some money. She left everyone a note except for Mark.

That night, Helena boarded a plane, and got sent back to the hellhole she was raised in.

……………

"How's she doing?" Roger asked Mark.

"Still hasn't gotten up." Mark answered. "You an Mimi should seriously go back to the loft. It's your wedding night."

Roger vaguely nodded. "Where'd Helena go?"

"Back to Beverly Hills." Mimi answered.

"What?" The two guys asked.

Mimi widened her eyes. "You didn't see the note?"

"No…" Roger said, and grabbed it out of Mimi's hand.

"What happened?" Mimi asked.

Mark defended himself. "She was acting like a bitch, that's what happened."

"You don't mean that." Mimi said.

"She was saying how what happened two Maureen was her own fault, and how she deserved it." Mark told her.

Mimi shook her head. "She doesn't mean it." She turned to Roger. "It's a five sentence note! Could you read a little slower?"

"Hey, I'm not done!" Roger said.

………..

Collins had the post-it note with the address that Carrie gave him. Apparently these were her rich foster parents, living on none other than 57th street.

He went up to the building, took the elevator straight to the top, and knocked. A maid in a black dress answered, and brought him into the living room.

Carrie's new foster parents were middle-aged, blonde and rich. The man, Mr. Klap, was balding slightly, and the woman, Mrs. Klap, had a short Kiera Knightly haircut. They moth had expensive clothes and shoes on. Collins wondered how the heck Carrie was living with these people.

"Uh, I just wanted to see Carrie." Collins said.

"Carrie?" The woman said, taking a sip of her martini. "We haven't seen Carrie in a while."

"You haven't seen her?" Collins was about ready to explode.

"Where did she go?" Mr. Klap asked.

"You two are talking about her like she's a toy or something!" Collins said. "News flash, she's a sixteen year old young woman, who happens to be pregnant, and needs attention!"

"Well, I wasn't aware that she was gone until you came over here." Mrs. Klap said.

"Do you know where she went?" Collins asked.

The couple just looked at each other.

Collins heavily sighed. "I'm just gonna go show myself out the door."

……………

"How's Maureen?" Joanne asked, as Mark came through the door.

"Still not up." Mark said.

"Its been a month." Joanne said.

"Jo, she'll muddle though." Mark said. "She always does."

…………….

"SPEAK!"

"Hey, Collins, its Helena. How's Maureen? Any news on Carrie? We'll find her for sure. I'm printing more posters, and praying every night. I'll talk to ya later."

"Mark! Don't be down on this Helen girl! She can be lesbian too! They'll never know what they're missing!"

"For Gods sake!" Mark yelled to nobody in particular. "She didn't go lesbian!"

(Okay, only two or three more chapters to go! Thanks to all of my reviewers. I'd update more tonight, but I pigged out at the movies and I feel disgusting. Review please)


	13. She's Back

(Okay everybody. I did not know that Maureen did not have AIDS. If you have been reading my profile, you will know I have seen it a total of once. My friend swore that Maureen had AIDS, and I believed her. I'm sorry, but I'd appreciate it if people would stop e-mailing me to tell me that Maureen doesn't have AIDS. I know now, I get it. In my little world, Maureen does have AIDS, and she's been overworking herself.)

………………

"Okay." Roger said soothingly. "Let's just get you to your room."

Maureen had woken up, and was able to come home. She looked tired and dazed. Her face was pale and her hair was dull and lifeless. Maureen was fully leaning on Roger, who was slowly bringing her to her bed.

"Is she okay?" Joanne asked, once Roger came back to the living room.

"Fell asleep the second she laid down." Roger said.

Joanne groaned.

"I have to go." Roger said, getting his guitar.

…………

Roger and his bands were playing at a local bar. They were taking a break, and Roger was walking back towards the stage. He spotted someone familiar. Roger walked to the short girl, who was standing with a couple guys.

"Excuse me-" Roger said, and took the girl's shoulder, and turned her around. It was Carrie. Roger looked her down. She was skinny except for the slight bulge and some skin sticking out from under her shirt. She had huge circles under her eyes, and looked like she hadn't had a good meal in a while.

"Okay." Roger said. "You're coming with me."

"Okay, I may not be smart, but going of with a stranger is something an idiot would do." Carrie said.

"Roger, where are you going?" His drummer yelled.

"Change of plans!" Roger shouted back. He took Carrie out of the club.

"What the hell?" Carrie shouted.

"Collins is like my best friend and he's been looking for you for about a month!" Roger yelled back. "So its in your best interest to shut up and listen to me!"

Carrie shut up.

…………..

Roger stuck the key in the lock and flung the door open. "Collins!"

"Wha-" Collins came to the door and saw Carrie looking shy and small.

"Carrie!" Mimi yelled.

"Go get some blankets!" Joanne screamed to Mark.

"And some food!" Mimi screamed to Mark.

"Why me?" Mark asked.

"I'm fine." Carrie said.

"Okay, let's sit you down." Mimi said. "GO GET SOME CHIPS OR SOMETHING!"

"Well someone's on their period." Mark said.

"Am not!" Mimi yelled.

"Are too!" Mark yelled back as he threw a bag of Cheeto's to Mimi and Carrie.

Maureen trudged out of bed, and to the hallway. "What's happening?" She asked.

"Carrie's back." Collins said.

Hours later, when everybody had gone to bed, Collins and Carrie were still awake, and still on the couch.

"Will you tell me what happened?" Collins asked.

"Like you said." Carrie told him. "They just treated me like a doll or an accessory."

"I'm going to file the adoption papers tomorrow." Collins said. "If that's okay with you."

"Yeah." Carrie said. "Will you tell me the story of how you hotwired the ATM machine?"

"Sure." Collins told her.

……….

**(Okay, one more chapter to go! I might write a sequel though; I just need some time to think about it. Review please!)**


	14. Cat Fight

**(Okay, I lied. One more chapter after this.) **

………………

Mark opened the door, with his camera ready. The group was hanging out in the living room.

"Where have you been?" Mimi asked.

Mark put on his narrator voice. "December 24, 1989, nine PM, Eastern Standard Time. That's when I shot without a script. And something came of it, other than my old shit."

"What?" Carrie asked.

"I got my documentary produced." Mark said simply.

And that was the second that Mark was glad he had his camera out. Maureen and Mimi started jumping up and down and screaming their heads off. Roger and Mark high-fived. Carrie smiled appreciatively, but still stayed on the couch.

"Ohmigod this is so cool!" Mimi yelled.

"This is awesome!" Maureen added.

"Its better than awesome!"

"It is!"

"What's better than awesome?"

"SILENCE IS BETTER THAN AWESOMENESS!" A cranky neighbor yelled.

"SHUT UP!" Mimi screamed. Then she started dancing with Maureen, yelling, 'We did it!'

………………

"Angel, stop looking at me like that." Helena said. She was in her mom's mansion, in her bedroom. She was lying on her four-poster bed.

Angel kept on giving Helena a sad and pitiful look.

"Stop it." Helena said. "I don't need you reminding me that I'm a worthless piece of shit."

Angel barked.

"And my book is a worthless piece of shit." Helena said. "Thanks so much for reminding me of everything that is wrong with me life."

……….

"We have gathered for this little family party," Helena's mother Kristen said to everybody who happened to be at the party. "For the coming back of my lovely daughter, Helen."

The doors opened, and Helena stepped out. Everyone toasted her and went back to mingling.

"Hey." Helena's best friend Kelsey said. "How was it."

"You know, my dog already reminded me what a worthless piece of shit I am. You, surprisingly enough, are not helping." Helena told her. "I'm going to the bathroom."

"Does your mom know about the dog?" Kelsey asked.

"Hell no."

Helena stepped into the restroom. It was like she stepped into the Ritz Carleton. Standing at one of the many sinks was rich bitch Elizabeth Connor. Helena and Elizabeth never got along. Even at weddings and dinners, they couldn't keep it down.

Like once Helena was in a wedding, and Elizabeth stuck her heel out and tripped Helena. Then, once Elizabeth was at a dance, Helena jammed her heel into Elizabeth's ankle.

So seeing Elizabeth in the bathroom would only mean trouble for the both of them.

"Bitch." Elizabeth said.

"Slut." Helena shot back, as she whipped her Coach clutch was Elizabeth's back.

"So how was Avenue A?" Elizabeth asked.

"I have do idea what you're talking about." Helena easily lied.

"Cut the crap okay?"

"What crap?"

"The crap you're always dishing out." Elizabeth said.

"Shut the fuck up." Helena said.

"Bite me!"

Helena splashed Elizabeth with cold water. "Like I ever would."

"Ah yes, you were always the well mannered one." Elizabeth said.

Helena pushed Elizabeth in to the wall. She pinned Elizabeth's soft, tan arms to the wall. "Look missy. I was living in Alphabet City." She hissed. "I did meet people. Yeah, some of them were not straight, but they were awesome. Yeah, some of the had AIDS. And I only did live in Avenue A for six months or so. Get over it."

Elizabeth stuck her heel into Helena's stomach and pushed her back. "Don't preach to me, slut."

"Oh," She shot back, and threw the clutch at Elizabeth's head. "You are the most narrow minded person I have ever met!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Elizabeth screamed.

…………………

Kelsey was standing by the punch, outside the bathroom. She heard screaming.

"Oh yeah." Kelsey said. "Liz was definitely in there."

Then a small lab started running down the stairs and towards the bathroom.

"And here comes the dog." Kelsey murmured.

…………………

"Lizzie, remember me when I make money by actually working." Helena shouted.

"Oh, I'll be the one on the magazine." Elizabeth screamed back.

"Of what, Playboy?"

Elizabeth threw her shoe at Helena. Helena pushed Elizabeth to the sink and her heel's skidded on the white marble floor.

"GIRLS!" Helena's mom shouted. "Why is it you two that are always in trouble?"

Then Angel came around and started barking at Elizabeth.

"_What is that_?" Mrs. Erickson asked in a disgusted tone.

Helena picked up and Angel. "My new dog. Let's go." She walked out of the bathroom, barefoot, and Kelsey followed, her heel's click-clacking with every step.

……………

"Did something happen in New York that I'm not aware about?" Kelsey said.

"Okay, here we go again." Helena said.

"Look, I know you screwed things up, but I want to know how." Kelsey told her.

"Kelsey, I'm going out to LA." Helena said.

"Why?" Kelsey asked. "I mean, aren't we kinda already in it?"

Helena clicked print on her computer. "I'm gonna get it published and fix this whole mess."

"What mess?"

"The one that you'll be able to read in a year or so!"

Kelsey sighed. "Why can't you just tell me now?"


	15. Seasons Of Love: I'll Cover You

"What a year." Collins said, pouring beer for Roger, Mark and himself.

"Yeah I know." Mark said. "Whoa, that's enough!"

"Sorry." Collins mumbled.

"Can I have some?" Carrie asked. Collins stared. "I'm kidding, sheesh. Nobody has a sense of humor anymore."

The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Mimi said, walking by the guys. She turned the knob and saw Helena standing there, with Angel on her side. "Ohmigod!" Mimi cried, and threw her arms around Helena.

There was something different about her. Normally Helena held herself high, but now she looked smaller. She was carrying a stack of papers that were strung together with some red ribbon.

"Helena's back!" Mimi called. Maureen ran down to her.

"Oh, thank God your okay!" Helena said to Maureen.

"I could say the same to you." Maureen told her.

"Where have you been?" Collins asked, as her got his hug. "And what happened to your face?"

Helena touched the scar that Elizabeth gave Helena with a diamond ring. "Oh, long story."

"Why are you here?" Mark asked, getting straight to the point.

Helena looked Mark down. "I have something for you." She handed him the papers.

"What's this?" Mark asked.

"Read it." Helena said.

Mark looked down. "Seasons Of Love: I'll Cover You" Everyone looked at each other. "'December 24th, 1989, nine PM, Eastern Standard Time,' Mark said. 'From here on in I shoot without a script. See if anything comes of it. Other than my old shit'" Mark looked up. Those were the exact words her said two years ago.

"Wha…" Roger was trying to find an explanation on how Helena knew all of this.

"I hope its okay." Helena said. "That I wrote my book about you-"

"How the hell did you figure this out?" Joanne flipping through the book. Helena seemed to of got every single thing that had happened last year.

"I just picked it up after a while. You all were always talking about it, and I pulled it all together." Helena said.

Carrie grabbed the book. "Mimi, you have the best ass below Fourteenth Street?"

"Oh, I remember that- Wait, hey!"

"I only have one copy though." Helena said. "It'll be out by summer."

"Out?" Joanne asked.

"Little Brown is publishing it." Helena said.

"This is so cool!" Carrie said. "It's like your lives! I have dirt on all of you! Ha!"

Everyone started talking and drinking after that. Some how Helena got sat next to Mark.

"Uh, hey." Helena said.

"Hey." Mark said.

"Look, I screwed up." Helena said.

"And you feel like a worthless piece of shit?"

"Yeah." Helena answered. "Angel does a good job of reminding me of that."

"Oh."

"Can we just go back?" Helena said.

"I don't know." Mark said. "I mean, Maureen could have died, and it would have been her own fault? It doesn't make sense."

Helena looked down. "Yes it does."

"See, your doing it again." Mark said.

"No!" Helena cried. "Its not that at all! I just…" Helena took a deep breath. "I thought I was pregnant."

Now it was Mark's turn to act surprised. "What?"

"Yeah."

"Well, are you?"

Helena fidgeted. "No, but I thought I was. And I was going to tell you after the wedding on the balcony, and you were going to propose and both of us were going to be so happy."

"Oh." Mark said. He felt guilty for some odd reason.

"And Maureen got sick and I freaked out." Helena said. "So I went home, and I got into a fight with this bitch Elizabeth."

"Cat fight?"

"You should have seen her." Helena said. "I got a twelve hundred dollar bag ruined. And no she hates me more than she already does."

"Nice." Mark said.

"So, even after all the shit that I pulled, will you take me back?"

Mark pretended to consider. "Well, maybe if you promise to be good…"

"Hey!" Helena said.

Mark kissed her and the world disappeared.

"Aw." Roger said.

"I was gonna say that!" Maureen said.

"Oh well, if MAUREEN was going to say that, the God forbid-"

"Roger stop being a butt head." Maureen told him as she hit Roger over the head with a pillow.

"A butt head?" Mimi laughed.

"Oh, that's like one step up from nimrod." Mark said.

It was as they all were just one happy family again.

"Aw, Collins that dog really likes you." Carrie said. Angel had set her head down on Collin chest, and just lay there.

Mark looked at Roger. Could Helena's dog really be…

"No." Roger said.

"Yeah." Mark said. "Of course not."

………………..

The End 

**And that was Avenue A. Thanks to all of my reviewers, and my best friend Alli for helping me with the songs. I may write a sequel, just give me a few weeks to recuperate. I'll probably call it, Avenue B. And if that's a hit, then I'll write Avenue C, then D, ect. **

**Much Love**

**Noelle**

**Long Live The RENTheads!**


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